Simona Halep, who has been dealing with a doping charge since October last year, was hit with a second charge on Friday.
The latest charge has to do with an abnormality in the former World Number 1’s biological passport – the database used to keep track of key markers in the blood of athletes.
She is the first tennis player to be charged with an offense under the rules of the biological passport. To violate the rules, there needs to be a significant change in the blood readings, and does not necessitate the detection of a specific substance.
According to the International Tennis Integrity Agency, the new charge is separate and in addition to the existing charge she has regarding the detection of Roxadustat in her system in August 2022.
As a response, Halep has now accused the ITIA of harassment, saying:
“Since October 7, when I got charged by the ITIA for a suspicion of doping, I have lived the worst nightmare I have ever gone through in my life.”
“Not only has my name been soiled in the worst possible way, but I am facing a constant determination from the ITIA for a reason that I cannot understand, to prove my guilt while I haven’t EVER even thought of taking any illicit substance…”
“I feel helpless facing such harassment and a motivation on their behalf to prove me guilty of something I never did.”
This new blow was clearly devastating for Halep who just last month complained that the process of hearing out her case was taking too long.